BOSTON - In a legal victory for Houghton Mifflin, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta today granted the publishing company's motion for an expedited appeal, despite objections filed by the Mitchell Trusts.

"In response to our motion filed yesterday for an expedited review, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis," said Wendy Strothman, Executive Vice President, Trade and Reference Division of Houghton Mifflin.

Earlier this month, attorneys for the Mitchell Trusts filed a lawsuit in Atlanta to stop the publication of Alice Randall's book The Wind Done Gone, claiming it violates their copyright of Gone With the Wind. On Friday, April 20, a federal judge granted the Mitchell Trusts a preliminary injunction. Houghton Mifflin appealed the ruling on April 24.

Houghton Mifflin is a leading publisher of textbooks, instructional technology, assessments and other educational materials for elementary and secondary schools and colleges. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers. The Company's Internet site can be found at www.hmco.com.